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Esports scholarships are on the rise as competitive gaming continues to grow into a major industry. Colleges and universities are taking notice, with more and more offering scholarships and even degrees related to esports. This presents new academic and career opportunities for gamers.
What Are Esports Scholarships?
Esports scholarships offer financial support for academic endeavors to students showcasing prowess in competitive gaming, much like traditional athletic scholarships. These awards consider gaming skills and potential rather than relying solely on academic achievements.
Popular games the COD Black Ops, often play a significant role in identifying and rewarding talented individuals in the esports community. The growth of organized, professional esports has led schools to recruit promising gamers just as they would top athletes.
Esports scholarships cover all or part of academic expenses, including tuition, room and board, textbooks, equipment, and more. Amounts awarded range from several hundred dollars to covering full rides at Division 1 schools. Scholarships may be generalized to all games or specific to popular esports titles like League of Legends, Overwatch, Call of Duty, and more.
Gamers can qualify for scholarships based on rank on leaderboards, performance in tournaments and combines, or through recruitment. Scholarships provide an opportunity for skilled gamers to fund their academic pursuits.
How Do Esports Scholarships Differ From Traditional Sports Scholarships?
While esports scholarships function similarly to athletic scholarships, there are a few key differences to consider:
No Physical Advantage
Unlike traditional sports, which often favor genetics like height or raw athletic ability, success in esports relies more on dedication, strategic thinking, creativity, communication, and mental dexterity. This leads to broader opportunities for men and women of all physical abilities.
Different Games And Roles
While traditional scholarships often center on sports like football, basketball, or baseball, esports spans a wide range of popular competitive games. Scholarships can focus on specific games and even roles within those games.
For example, a scholarship may recruit healers and other support roles in games like Overwatch or League of Legends rather than just star players.
Less Developed Infrastructure
Varsity esports programs are still new and developing compared to established college athletic programs. Scholarship amounts, partnerships with esports organizations, training facilities, and more infrastructure are still evolving across most schools.
What Benefits Do Esports Scholarships Provide?
For skilled gamers, esports scholarships provide numerous benefits beyond helping fund post-secondary education. Benefits include:
- Access to top-tier training and coaching from former professional players and dedicated esports staff.
- Cutting-edge facilities like training rooms with high-performance PCs and peripherals, along with advanced analytics software.
- Opportunities to compete at the collegiate level through tournaments like the Collegiate StarLeague to test and improve skills.
- Exclusive networking opportunities with professional esports organizations for future careers.
- Flexible academic accommodations to balance gaming and traditional course loads.
- Funding for equipment like high-end PCs and accessories which can be expensive for students
In many ways, esports scholarships mirror and provide the same advantages as traditional athletics scholarships. Competitive gamers can hone their skills with state-of-the-art resources while working towards academic credentials.
Do Esports Scholarships Lead To Professional Gaming Careers?
While a college degree remains one of the best paths to securing future employment, esports scholarships do provide some opportunities to bridge into professional gaming careers. Benefits include:
- Degree programs related to esports management, business analytics, marketing, software development, and other adjacent fields. Schools develop academic programs to support the esports industry.
- Direct access to networking, scouting, and tryouts with professional teams and esports organizations. College teams may compete against minor league rosters allowing exposure.
- Options to go pro before graduating by leaving school early, similar to other sports. Top performers may sign professional contracts.
- Flexibility to keep pursuing gaming after college while securing a degree as a backup. Degrees provide options if a pro career does not pan out.
However, the professional esports scene remains highly competitive, with limited roster spots concentrated in the top teams and titles. However, esports scholarships provide useful exposure and flexibility to bridge into pro gaming while pursuing a Plan B academic option.
What Games Are Eligible For Esports Scholarships?
Popular esports titles supported by collegiate leagues and scholarships include League of Legends, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty including COD Mobile Bots, Hearthstone, Rocket League, Super Smash Brothers, and more.
How Much Money Is Available Through Esports Scholarships?
Scholarship amounts range widely from a few hundred dollars for books to tens of thousands covering tuition, room and board, and equipment expenses. Top programs offer packages comparable to traditional Division 1 athletic scholarships.
Can You Get An Esports Scholarship For Playing On Console?
Most collegiate esports programs focus on PC gaming. However, some console games like Super Smash Brothers may be eligible. Scholarship details will specify platforms.
Do You Have To Play The Game Competitively To Qualify For A Scholarship?
Gaming skills and experience in competitive play-ranked ladders or tournaments will be required in most cases to demonstrate the potential to perform at the collegiate level. Casual play is rarely enough.
